Busy Abbey

I told everyone what Elliott has been doing, and now here is an update on Abbey.
She has been in school for about a month now and is doing well. The mornings are getting easier, but are still somewhat stressful. I want to get out the door with everyone in a good mood, but that just doesn't always happen. She still says "I don't want to go" when we are walking to school, but I am pretty sure that just means, "I don't want to say good-bye to Mommy." When we pick her up in the afternoons she is glad to see us and full of stories about what she did during the day. It is awesome to watch how much she is learning! And even though I had some doubts about how well she was doing socially, her teacher reassured me in her first progress report that she is an excellent classroom citizen, and Abbey does talk about other kids she is friends with. Yeah! I love hearing her copy what she hears at school; like asking us to raise our hands to talk, or yesterday when she was cutting something out and said to me, "It's okay if it's not perfect. Because, is anybody perfect? No, nobody is perfect." (Something I have heard her teacher say.) And by the way, kindergarten "centers" are now called "learning labs." So advanced! :0) She loves to sit at the table and write or draw for a long time after a busy day at school. She draws pictures of our family, complete with Chico, and asks me how to spell the words she doesn't know. Sometimes I feel like I am living in a Spelling Bee...
Abbey is also playing soccer. She had so much fun doing First Steps soccer last year that she wanted to play again. Unfortunately for her, this is regular soccer with weekly games, and she is really not enjoying it. I think the experience of being on the field with nine other kids, many of whom are older and bigger and have played soccer before, is totally overwhelming to her. Her coaches are nice, but they don't seem to have a clue about how to encourage her to join in the game. It has been frustrating for all of us (including Elliott, who doesn't understand why she can't run on the field too during the games!), but we are not going to give up yet. If you have gone through this with your kids, please comment and tell me what helped. We aren't concerned with her being a great player, but we want her to have fun!

Trying to figure out what's going on.

Still trying to figure it out.

Abbey was so excited about our "new" play table (from our neighbor's yard sale) that she started using it before we could even get it inside.

Making a tortilla at the Hispanic Heritage Month Festival. Abbey also likes to help with baking at home.

Okay, these next pictures are here just for my Mom. I believe her exact words to Chad were, "Bethany's on a bike?! Get a camera!" I started riding a bike again recently. Obviously, the next step for an out of shape person who hasn't ridden a bike in over 10 years is to get a trailer to pull 60 pounds of kid around the neighborhood! The girls like it, but it is hard work!

Abbey is ready for a ride.

"Um, Mommy? Can you go a little faster?"

"No, Abbey, I can't."

Now you are caught up on the Girls on the Go.